There Is A Green Hill Far Away...

This Monday, as most of the world knows, was St. Patrick's Day.

Most of the world knows because most of the world celebrates. Even here, in our quiet corner of Australia, Paddy's Day is massive.

Paddy's, Albury's aptly named Irish bar, had a bumper day to say the very least. Me and the wife turned up at tea-time to find the place bursting at the seams, awash with shamrock-clad punters swilling the Guinness as if it were 1999. They had pipe bands, Irish dancing and even a lifelike leprechaun. Green was very much the new black.

I've long since envied the way other nationalities embrace Ireland's national day. Surely no other country in the world shares the Emerald Isle's global popularity.

Without dredging up the past, I haven't always viewed Irish Culture in such a positive light. During my time in the armed forces, certain elements of the island's inhabitants and it's sympathisers regarded me and my mates as their enemy, and we regarded them likewise. Paddy's Day was never circled on our calenders.

Fortunately for us all, things are different now. Age old problems seem to be easing and, besides, age old problems certainly have no place in a new land.

So, for the first time, we joined in this years revelry and felt more than comfortable doing so. And why not? I do get asked which part of Ireland I'm from at least twice a week anyway!

In other news, we head off to Sydney tomorrow to spend the Easter weekend there. We plan to spend some time at the beaches, probably Manly, Coogee and, of course, Bondi. Hopefully, I will also get realise one of my sporting dreams as South Sydney are playing the Bulldogs tomorrow night and I might just be there. Wife permitting, of course.

We had hoped to visit the southern New South Wales coast but couldn't get digs anywhere. Unbeknown to us newbies, Easter is a time when everyone seems to head off somewhere and you need to book well in advance for accommodation in popular spots.

A bit like Christmas, I think Easter is viewed by most Aussies as a chance to getaway and enjoy a few days off work, rather than for it's religious overtones.

I'll be sparing a thought for our saviour though, and my favourite passage from the good book is never far from my thoughts at this time of year.

If my memory serves me well, it goes a bit like this;

The soldier, kneeling before him, did spake unto Christ. With fair mind, in kindly tones and with compassion, he did say unto him;

'Put your feet together please mate, we've only got one nail left!'

Happy Easter folks.

Indian Summer

On Saturday evening we headed down to Wodonga city centre for the annual festival, Carnivale Wild.

I say city centre as that's strictly what it is, but it's more like a small town centre - just like Rhyl really.

One thing we love about Australia in general, and this region in particular, are the amount of community based events organised by local towns and cities. In this region alone we have the Tallangata Fifties Festival, the Country Muster, Rutherglen Wine Festival and the Beechworth Celtic Festival to name but a few. This weekend was Wodonga's turn and it didn't disappoint.

The High Street and surronding roads were closed and the whole town centre was full of people, stalls, beer tents, food outlets and performing artistes.

The girls did the usual stuff, got their faces painted, made masks and got temporarily tattooed. There were some great bands on and we sat out, on a beautiful night, until about eleven o'clock.

We really are enjoying an extended summer over here. It's been in the twenties for the last few weeks, but this week it's risen to the mid thirties again like it was in December and January. And they reckon it's gonna get hotter, culminating in weekend temperatures of 38 degrees, which is bad news for me as I'll be spending the next two days on someone's baking hot roof installing solar heating for their pool.

It ain't 'alf hot mum.

Chocks Away!

I took to the skies above Albury Wodonga on Saturday during my first flying lesson.

It was a fantastic experience, I loved it. My instructor, Darren, got us airborne and as soon as we climbed to a decent altitude he handed control over to me. I flew us over Lake Hume and the Dam before heading over to West Wodonga to do a fly past over our house. Then after a couple of laps over The 'Dong, I took us back, following the freeway, and handed control back over to Daz to return us to terra firma. It was great!

At $214 per hour though, my first lesson may end up being my last!

The Spice Of Life

It's been a big week.

On Wednesday we were granted permanent residence status in Australia and on Thursday I had lobster for lunch.

Tonight the wife is having her first 'girls night out' in Australia and tomorrow I'm having a flying lesson.

Variety is the spice of life.

Previously On Lost

Again, it's been a while since I updated this blog. I haven't been overly busy, usual stuff working, drinking and ferrying the kids around to their activities. The wife has finally updated her blog as well, so if you click here you can read it for yourselves.

We went water-skiing on my boss' boat last weekend. I use the term 'water-skiing' loosely, what actually happened was I got dragged around Lake Hume for half an hour with two pieces of fibre glass attached to my feet. I only managed to actually stand up for about three seconds on my best attempt, and that three seconds was pretty painful as my undercarriage took a battering from the water. The girls enjoyed seeing their old man in pain though and got to have a go on the 'donuts' too, which they loved.

The weather here is just perfect now. It's officially autumn but everyday of late has been in the mid-high twenties and the flies have all but gone, which is a massive bonus.

It's going dark a little earlier of course, and we've slipped into our old habit of lounging around in front of the telly of an evening. After watching it sporadically since it's release in the U.K., we've finally caught up with Lost, after hiring series three, ten days ago. It's been hard but we've toughed it out, putting in a couple of long shifts to ensure we got it back to Video Ezy without incurring any late fees.

Series four isn't out over here yet, so we'll have to find another way to occupy our evenings.

I'm missing Sawyer already.